Overview
Land surveyors plan, direct and conduct legal surveys to establish the location of real property boundaries, contours and other natural or human-made features, and prepare and maintain cross-sectional drawings, official plans, records and documents pertaining to these surveys. They are employed by federal, provincial and municipal governments, private sector land surveying establishments, real estate development, natural resource, engineering and construction firms, or they may be self-employed.
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
Develop survey plans, methods and procedures for conducting legal surveys
Plan, direct and supervise or conduct surveys to establish and mark legal boundaries of properties, parcels of lands, provincial and Canada Lands, Aboriginal land claims, wellsites, mining claims, utility rights-of-way, roadways and highways
Survey and lay out subdivisions for rural and urban development
Determine precise locations using electronic distance measuring equipment, global positioning systems (GPS), and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV)/drones
Analyze, manage and display data using geographic information systems (GIS) and computer-aided design and drafting (CAD)
Record all measurements and other information obtained during survey activities
Prepare or supervise the preparation and compilation of all data, plans, charts, records and documents related to surveys of real property boundaries
Certify and assume liability for surveys made to establish real property boundaries
Advise, provide consultation and testify as an expert witness on matters related to legal surveys
May supervise other land surveyors, and land survey technologists and technicians.
Employment prospects
Annual salary
$52,140
$77,167
$114,708
Job openings
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British Columbia
244expected job openings (5-year forecast)
Education and training
Employment requirements
A bachelor's degree in geomatics engineering or survey engineering or a college diploma in survey science or geomatics technology with additional academic credits and successful completion of equivalent examinations set by a regional board of examiners for land surveyors is required.
A one- to three-year articling period is required.
Successful completion of professional land surveyor examinations is required.
Additional information
Federal statutes require a separate licence from the Association of Canada Land Surveyors to survey areas such as national parks, Aboriginal lands, offshore areas and northern territories.
Certification requirements
Mandatory: You need the following certification to practice as Land surveyors in B.C.
- Registration with the Association of British Columbia Land Surveyors (ABCLS)
Registration with the Association of British Columbia Land Surveyors (ABCLS)
Confirm with the certifying body that your intended program qualifies you for this certification.
To work as a land surveyor in B.C., you must register with the Association of British Columbia Land Surveyors (ABCLS). Eligibility is achieved through completion of an accredited bachelor's degree in geomatics, 24 months of articling under an experienced BCLS, and completion of ABCLS's professional exam and assessment interview.
Work Experience
Work experience required
Post-secondary programs in B.C.
Explore programs related to this career offered at post-secondary institutions in B.C.